St Ann welcomes Cash Plus development
published: Sunday | August 5, 2007
Devon Evans, Sunday Gleaner Writer
St Ann's Bay:
Business and tourism interests in St. Ann are very excited over the prospects for economic development in the parish, following the announcement that the Cash Plus Group will be undertaking a major investment soon.
The Carlos Hill-owned Cash Plus Group recently acquired the 800-acre prime Drax Hall Estate, in St. Ann, and announced plans to invest millions of dollars in tourism development on the property.
"This is exciting news for us," remarks Norma Walters, president of the St. Ann Chamber of Commerce, in an interview with The Sunday Gleaner. "We were delighted to hear about this new investment and we welcome them with open arms," she adds.
Confidence in parish
Walters notes that Drax Hall had been earmarked for major resort development many years ago and the decision by Cash Plus to take this bold initiative is a clear sign of the confidence the company has in doing business in the parish.
"The chamber endorsed the pro-ject and we are willing to offer them all the assistance in ensuring that they areable to meet their objective," the chamber president assures.
Hill recently told The Gleaner that his company plans to spearhead the construction of a more than 1,000-room hotel on the property in anticipation of being granted a licence to operate a casino.
In addition to the development of hotels and villas, Cash Plus also has plans to develop a private airstrip, a marina and a championship golf course at Drax Hall.
Commenting on the proposal, Ocho Rios businessman Michael Belnavis agrees that the development of Drax Hall will undoubtedly make St. Ann the tourist capital of Jamaica.
"Drax Hall is a beautifully laid out property with an extensive sea coast, complemented by the breathtaking Don Christopher's Cove and, with careful planning, this property can become a world-class resort village," Belnavis observes.
Potential for sports tourism
Belnavis also points to the great potential for the development of sports tourism at Drax Hall, which he says already has a top-class polo field, two football fields and vast land space for the development of a mini-stadium.
And area chairman of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Vana Taylor, was also upbeat about the development plan of the Drax Hall Estate.
"I have not been able to meet with the developers as yet, but based on what I see in the press, it is a most welcome development and it can only be a win-win situation for everyone," she says.
Taylor points out that the Ocho Rios/Runaway Bay chapter of the JHTA already accounts for the most available hotel rooms on the island and that the proposed resort development at Drax Hall will further enhance that position.
The JHTA area chairman says her organisation is willing to meet with Hill and members of his Cash Plus team to see how they both will be able to work together to further improve the tourism product in the area. |
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